Hey, everyone! Here is the fifth in our series of blogs about women pilots in Alaskan aviation history!
Celia Hunter, though primarily known as a pioneering environmentalist in Alaska was also an early female pilot. Born in Arlington, Washington, she earned her private pilot’s license in 1941 through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. In 1943, she became a WASP, where she met and became friends with Ginny Wood (who is mentioned in another one of our posts). The WASPs were disbanded in 1944, and Celia began work as a flight instructor at Everett Airport. In 1947, she flew with Ginny to Fairbanks, where she began her work as an environmentalist. In 1952, she helped Ginny and her husband, Woody, found Camp Denali. She and Ginny would fly supplies and people out to the camp when there were no roads leading to it. For the rest of her life, Celia worked tirelessly for the welfare of the Alaskan environment.
Celia Hunter, though primarily known as a pioneering environmentalist in Alaska was also an early female pilot. Born in Arlington, Washington, she earned her private pilot’s license in 1941 through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. In 1943, she became a WASP, where she met and became friends with Ginny Wood (who is mentioned in another one of our posts). The WASPs were disbanded in 1944, and Celia began work as a flight instructor at Everett Airport. In 1947, she flew with Ginny to Fairbanks, where she began her work as an environmentalist. In 1952, she helped Ginny and her husband, Woody, found Camp Denali. She and Ginny would fly supplies and people out to the camp when there were no roads leading to it. For the rest of her life, Celia worked tirelessly for the welfare of the Alaskan environment.
Celia Hunter, Women’s Air Service Pilot (WASP), World War II. Kay Kennedy Collection, Alaska and Polar Region Archives, Rasmussen Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Photograph, captions, and information from Women Pilots of Alaska by Sandi Sumner (2005).
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